1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an air conditioning apparatus and its installation in a window opening and, more particularly, to a low-profile air conditioning apparatus in which indoor and outdoor sections are located at opposite sides of the window opening and are connected by a connector section resting on a window sill.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional room air conditioner for installation in a window opening typically comprises a single box-like housing comprising all the components of a refrigeration system. However, such air conditioners occupy valuable window space, are noisy, and are difficult to install due to their bulk and weight from the inside of a room.
To avoid such drawbacks, the art has proposed so-called “saddle” or “split” air conditioners in which an outdoor section houses the refrigeration components for dissipating heat, for example, the condenser, an indoor section houses the refrigeration components for absorbing heat, for example, the evaporator, and a connector section rests on a window sill and maintains the indoor and outdoor sections apart at opposite sides of the window opening. The connector section has a minimal height above the sill, thereby increasing the window space and allowing more light to enter the room, as well as enabling the room occupants to have an increased field of view. The placement of at least some of the components outside the window opening lessens the noise within the room.
Saddle-type air conditioners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,268,451; U.S. Pat. No. 2,320,436; U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,474; U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,820; U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,546; U.S. Pat. No. 3,448,590; U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,131; U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,025; and No. D-341,880. Related air conditioners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,354; U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,329; U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,726; U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,614; U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,485; U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,482; U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,334; No. D-112,881; and No. D-179,726.
Experience has shown, however, that the known window-mounted, split air conditioning apparatus are not altogether satisfactory, especially in their installation from the interior of the room. The outdoor section tends to be relatively heavy. Unless installed properly, there is a risk that the apparatus may slide off the installer's hands and drop outside. Even if the apparatus does not fall from the window opening, the installer's hands can sometimes be pinched by the apparatus as it is being maneuvered into position. Furthermore, the apparatus is leveled and supported by point loads bearing on exterior and interior wall surfaces of the room wall through which the window opening extends. These point loads exert a great deal of pressure on the wall surfaces and typically mar and damage such wall surfaces. The exterior point loads are hard to reach from the room interior. In brief, the installation is difficult, often requires more than one skilled installer to perform the installation, and typically damages the exterior and interior wall surfaces of the room wall.